METROPOLITAN PHILIP (Saliba)

Born: June 10, 1931, Abou Mizan, Lebanon
Name Day: November 14

Educated:

  • Balamand Orthodox Theological Seminary, 
    Tripoli (Lebanon), 1945-47

  • Orthodox Secondary School, Homs (Syria), 1947-49

  • Assiyah College, Damascus (Syria), 1949-51

  • Kelham Theological School, Nottinghamshire 
    (England), 1953

  • University of London, London (England), 1954

  • Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary, 
    Boston/Brookline, MA, 1956

  • Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 1956-69 
    (B.A. in History)

  • St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 
    Crestwood, NY, 1965-65; M.Div.

Ordained:

  • Deacon, August 6, 1949

  • Priest, March 1, 1959, by Metropolitan Antony Bashir.

  • Archimandrite, June 1966, by Metropolitan Ilyas Kurban

  • Archbishop, August 14, 1966, at St. Elias Monastery Lebanon, by Patriarch Theodosios VI; enthroned in New York October 13th

Ministry:

  • Secretary to Patriarch Alexander III (1949-53)

  • Dean of Students and Lecturer in Arabic Language and Literature, Balamand Seminary, Tripoli, Lebanon (1952)

  • Deacon, St. George Church, Detroit, MI (1956-59)

  • Pastor, St. George Church, Cleveland, OH (1959-64)

  • Archbishop of New York and North America (1966-), overseeing some 159 parishes

  • Founds Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America (A.O.W.C.N.A.: 1973)

  • Founds Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch (1975)

  • Purchases Antiochian Village property, Ligonier, PA (1978)

  • Founds St. Stephen's Course of Theological Studies (1980)

  • Accepts into Orthodoxy the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission (1987)

  • Founds Antiochian House of Studies (1992)

 

 

 

Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

2656 Pemberton Dr • Toledo, OH 43606

The Right Rev. Bishop MARK (Maymon)

Bishop MARK was born on June 22, 1958 in New Albany, Indiana.

He began studies at Indiana University South East, later completing undergraduate studies at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree Majoring in Biblical Literature with an emphasis in Old Testament, and with a Minor in Business Administration, graduating Summa Cum Laude in May of 1985. In 1987, he completed the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Biblical Literature with the emphasis in Old Testament at Oral Roberts University. He graduated with Honors and was named Old Testament Student of the Year.

Upon graduating from the Seminary, Bishop MARK was offered, and accepted the position of Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at Oral Roberts University. His responsibilities included teaching Old Testament and New Testament Survey for all incoming freshman, as well as Biblical Hebrew I & II, Hebrew Prophets, Old Testament Introduction, The History of Israel, Wisdom Literature, Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations and Old Testament Theology. He was also responsible for the oversight of fourteen graduate fellows and co-taught Teaching Methodologies.

During his studies at Oral Roberts University, Bishop MARK was introduced to the Orthodox Church in his Church History class, by the V. Rev. George Eber, pastor of St. Antony in Tulsa, OK. Through contact with the Orthodox Church, he saw the Scripture less and less as the book of the university and more and more the Book of the Church. Fr. George invited him to ‘come to the Church that gave us the Bible.’ Listening to the wonderful hymnology of the Orthodox Church at Great Vespers, Matins and Divine Liturgy, the Scriptures were opened in an entirely different way.

Additionally, the Orthodox presented God as a loving Father and Shepherd who comes searching for those who are lost. Many personal struggles, unconquered through the academic study of the Scripture, began to dissipate as he learned how to struggle more effectually through the School of Repentance during Great Lent. On Great and Holy Wednesday in 1989, he was officially received into the Orthodox Church through Holy Chrisimation.

He attend St Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary. Obtained a Master of Divinity Degree in 1991 and spent an additional year studying Church History and Patristics. During the summers of 1991 and 1992, Bishop MARK worked at the Antiochian Village.

On August 17,1997, he was ordained by the hand of His Grace Bishop ANTOUN at St Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Wilkes Barre, PA and to the Holy Priesthood at St George in Pittsburgh, PA. on September 07, 1997. He was assigned to St John the Evangelist in Beaver Falls, PA. In January of 2001, he was assigned to assist Fr. John Estephan at St. George in Grand Rapids, MI, until Fr. John’s retirement in December of 2002. Upon Fr. John’s retirement, Bishop MARK assumed all the responsibilities for the pastorate of St George.

Bishop MARK was nominated to the sacred episcopacy at a Special Convention of the Antiochian Archdiocese held in Pittsburgh, PA in July, 2004, and was elected to the episcopacy by the Local Synod of Bishops in October, 2004. He was consecrated as a bishop at the hand of His Beatitude IGNATIUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All The East at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus Syria on December 5, 2004.

 

 

 

 

St. James Antiochian Orthodox Church

6577 Branch Hill - Miamiville Road• Loveland, OH 45140

 

Father Amin Houli

 

 

Father Amin Houli was born in Damascus, Syria in 1964. He received his degree of theology at Balamand University in Tripoli, Lebanon and continued his education at the theological school in Athens, Greece. Father Houli speaks fluent Arabic, Greek, and English. He is happily married to Khouria Rena, and in 2008 they had a beautiful baby girl Theodora. Some of his hobbies include swimming , reading, and his ultimate passion, spreading the word of God.

 

Before arriving at St. James, Father Houli served as a deacon at St. Mary Livonia located in Detroit, Michigan. On February 6, 2005 he was ordained a priest by Bishop Mark of Toledo and became pastor at St. Catherine mission in Ann Arbor, Michigan. On July 17, father Amin officially became the priest of St. James.